When You Should vs Shouldn’t Wear Safety Gloves
The Quick Answer
Wear gloves when your hands face hazards like chemicals, cuts, abrasions, punctures, burns, or extreme temperatures. That is directly required by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.138.
Do not wear gloves around accessible rotating or moving machinery parts that can snag a glove and pull your hand in, such as lathes, drill presses, mills, and grinders. OSHA training materials explicitly warn against this.
For electrical work, never rely on general work gloves. Use properly classed rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors that meet OSHA and NFPA 70E requirements.
If you handle chemicals, choose glove materials based on the exact chemical. Latex exam gloves are often a poor choice for solvents, and latex allergy is a real issue noted by NIOSH.
What OSHA Requires about Hand Protection
OSHA’s hand protection rule is simple and strict:
Employers shall select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when hands are exposed to hazards such as skin absorption of harmful substances, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, chemical burns, thermal burns, or harmful temperature extremes. See OSHA 1910.138.
Selection must be based on the task, conditions, duration, and identified hazards. See OSHA 1910.138.
When you should wear gloves
Situations where gloves are required or recommended by authoritative guidance:
Handling sharp materials or high cut risk
Cut resistant gloves selected by ANSI/ISEA 105 cut levels (A1 to A9). Higher number means higher cut resistance. See ANSI overview; new 2024 labeling uses a pentagon badge for cut, puncture, abrasion ratings.
Chemical handling
Choose material by chemical. Nitrile or neoprene often outperform thin latex for oils and many solvents. Latex is limited against many organics, and latex allergy is a known hazard. See NIOSH latex allergy guide; UC Berkeley glove selection; FWS glove guide.
Heat and thermal hazards
Insulated or heat-resistant gloves for hot work and thermal burns. Covered as a hazard class in OSHA 1910.138.
Cold exposure
Insulating gloves for harmful cold temperature extremes. OSHA letters of interpretation note cold environment selection considerations.
Biological contamination
Disposable medical gloves help prevent exposure to bloodborne pathogens and similar risks; this is in line with general PPE guidance.
Electrical shock or arc flash hazards
Use voltage-rated rubber insulating gloves that meet OSHA 1910.137 and NFPA 70E, with leather protectors worn over the rubber gloves for mechanical protection. OSHA eTool notes insulating gloves with leather protectors must be worn by qualified employees within minimum approach distances. Leather protectors by themselves do not provide electrical protection.
When You Should Not Wear Gloves
This is the part many people overlook. Gloves can increase risk in certain tasks.
Rotating equipment with accessible parts
Lathes, drill presses, mills, grinders, rotating shafts, in‑running nip points. OSHA training documents for lathes and drill presses warn specifically that wearing gloves is a hazard because gloves can snag and pull the hand into the machine.
Several OSHA state program and university machine shop guides also advise avoiding gloves near rotating parts to prevent entanglement.
When gloves reduce necessary dexterity or tactile feedback to a dangerous degree
Precision work where a slip could cause a puncture or laceration may require alternative controls like finger cots, tool holders, or guards instead of bulky gloves.
Where a glove material creates a new hazard
Certain gloves degrade quickly in the presence of specific chemicals, or melt near heat sources. Always check chemical compatibility.
Electrical work without the right glove
General-purpose or cut-resistant gloves are not substitutes for rubber insulating gloves with proper class ratings and leather protectors when there is a shock hazard. Follow OSHA 1910.137 and NFPA 70E.
How to Pick the Right Glove Quickly
Match the hazard to the glove. Use this short checklist.
Hazard type
Cut or abrasion: Use ANSI/ISEA 105 cut-rated gloves. A1 to A9 scale; higher is more cut resistant. New 2024 badge shows cut, puncture, abrasion together.
Puncture: Look at the puncture rating on the ANSI badge.
Chemical: Select glove material using a chemical resistance chart. Nitrile or neoprene often beat thin latex for oils/solvents. Verify per-chemical permeation.
Heat: Choose heat-rated options appropriate to the temperature range.
Cold: Insulated gloves designed for low-temperature exposure.
Electrical shock: ASTM D120 rubber insulating gloves of the proper class, with leather protectors over top, per OSHA and NFPA 70E.
Task and conditions
Duration of exposure, frequency, and need for dexterity matter. OSHA 1910.138 requires evaluation based on task, conditions, duration, hazards and potential hazards.
Fit and comfort
Poor fit causes user error. Choose snug but not constricting. For allergies, avoid latex and choose alternatives like nitrile; “hypoallergenic latex” does not eliminate latex allergy risk per NIOSH.
Verify labels
For cut/abrasion/puncture: look for ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 pentagon badge. For electrical: ensure the glove class fits the voltage and is within test date, with leather protectors.
Special guidance for electrical and electronics work
Shock protection
If there is any risk of contact with energized conductors above 50 V, use voltage-rated rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors, selected by class. OSHA 1910.137 and the OSHA Electric Power eTool explain this requirement.
Arc flash protection
Arc-rated gloves are chosen per NFPA 70E incident energy or PPE category methodology. Do not confuse arc-rated fabric gloves with rubber shock gloves; they address different hazards.
Low-voltage electronics bench work
If there is no shock hazard and dexterity is critical, thin nitrile gloves can protect from oils and fluxes. Do not wear loose gloves near powered rotating tools used for enclosures or machining.
Fit, care, and replacement
Inspect before use
Cuts, tears, swelling, discoloration, or contamination are reasons to replace.
Clean or dispose
Follow manufacturer guidance. Disposable gloves are single-use. Reusables need proper decontamination based on the hazard.
Electrical glove testing
Rubber insulating gloves must be tested before first issue and at least every six months thereafter, and inspected before each use. Leather protectors always go over the rubber glove; protectors alone are not electrical PPE. See OSHA 1910.137 and OSHA eTool.
Common mistakes to avoid
Wearing gloves around rotating machinery
This dramatically increases entanglement risk. OSHA training materials caution against it for lathes and drill presses.
Using the wrong chemical glove
Latex exam gloves can be quickly attacked by oils and many solvents. Use a chemical chart to pick nitrile, neoprene, butyl, or other materials as appropriate.
Ignoring allergies
Latex sensitization is documented by NIOSH. Prefer latex-free options when possible and manage exposure.
Assuming any “cut glove” is fine
Match the ANSI cut level to the actual cut risk. Over‑gloving reduces dexterity and can backfire.
Quick decision flow
- Is there a rotating or moving part that could snag a glove? If yes, do not wear gloves. Use guarding, push sticks, or other controls.
- Is there a shock or arc-flash hazard? If yes, wear classed rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors and other PPE per NFPA 70E.
- Are there cut, puncture, chemical, heat, or cold hazards? If yes, select gloves matched to that hazard using ANSI/ISEA 105 ratings and chemical charts.
- Do you need high dexterity? Choose the thinnest glove that still meets the protection need.
- Any latex concerns? Prefer nitrile or other latex‑free alternatives.
References and source links
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.138 Hand protection. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.138
eCFR 29 CFR 1910.138. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-XVII/part-1910/subpart-I/section-1910.138
OSHA PPE publication (general PPE guidance on glove selection). https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/osha3151.pdf
OSHA Lathe Trainer Script warning about gloves and rotating parts. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/Lathe%20-%20Trainer%20Script.pdf
OSHA Drill Press Trainer Script warning about gloves and rotating hazards. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/Drill%20Press%20-%20Trainer%20Script.pdf
Oregon OSHA Machine Safeguarding guide noting avoid gloves near lathes. https://osha.oregon.gov/oshapubs/2980.pdf
ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 overview of cut levels A1–A9. https://blog.ansi.org/ansi/ansi-isea-105-2024-hand-protection-classification/
ISEA announcement of 105-2024 pentagon label. https://safetyequipment.org/isea-announces-updated-ansi-isea-105-hand-protection-standard/
HexArmor summary of the 2024 ANSI/ISEA 105 updates. https://www.hexarmor.com/posts/whats-new-in-the-ANSI-ISEA-105-2024-hand-protection-standard
NIOSH Latex Allergy Prevention Guide. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/98-113/default.html
OSHA hospital eTool Latex Allergy topic. http://www.osha.gov/etools/hospitals/hospital-wide-hazards/latex-allergy
UC Berkeley Glove Selection Guide, nitrile vs latex. https://ehs.berkeley.edu/glove-selection-guide
U.S. FWS glove guidance, nitrile preferred over latex for chemical resistance. https://www.fws.gov/policy-library/e4241fw3 and PDF https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/policy/pdfs/e4241fw3.pdf
OSHA Electric Power eTool on insulating gloves and sleeves. http://www.osha.gov/etools/electric-power/general/personal-protective-equipment/insulating-gloves-sleeves
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.137 Electrical Protective Equipment. http://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.137
Notes for Kwazzy Sells readers:
This guide is informational and references OSHA and consensus standards. Always follow your employer’s safety policies, machine owner’s manuals, and site‑specific hazard assessments.
